


2 p.m.

by Traviosita9124



Series: Hour by Hour [15]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Angst, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, High School AU, Teenage AU, secret dating au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-25
Updated: 2017-04-25
Packaged: 2018-10-24 02:18:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10732119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Traviosita9124/pseuds/Traviosita9124
Summary: Fitz squinted against the sunlight as he made his way up the neatly manicured path, hands shoved deep into the pockets of his jeans. He should have worn shorts. Even this early in June, the sun and humidity combined were making him feel sticky and uncomfortable, but he pressed on. The truth was he was looking for a reason to run back to his car.





	2 p.m.

Fitz squinted against the sunlight as he made his way up the neatly manicured path, hands shoved deep into the pockets of his jeans. He should have worn shorts. Even this early in June, the sun and humidity combined were making him feel sticky and uncomfortable, but he pressed on. The truth was he was looking for a reason to run back to his car. 

 

Taking a deep breath, Fitz stared at the brass door knocker at the center of the rather imposing red door.  _ Nothing ventured, nothing gained _ , he thought to himself and lifted his hand to take hold of the metal loop, his pulse jumping with each strike. 

 

He was trying to gather his thoughts so he could formulate the best possible argument to persuade Jemma to speak to him again when the screech of the opening door caused him to jerk to attention. 

 

A steady hazel gaze was on him, but it wasn’t Jemma’s gold-flecked eyes that greeted him. 

 

Fitz found himself face to face with Elliot Simmons, with his heart in his throat and his gut somewhere in the vicinity of the soles of his feet. He watched as the older man’s eyes narrowed to thin slits, his nostrils flaring as though Fitz had left something nasty on the doorstep - or that  _ he _ was the something nasty. 

 

Fitz’ hands clenched into involuntary fists in his pockets and he swallowed heavily to keep from snarling at his former headmaster. Despite his feelings about the man - and his evident distaste for Fitz - there was Jemma to think about. Fitz would be damned if he did anything to purposefully antagonize her father. 

 

“Good afternoon, Dr. Simmons. Is Jemma home?”

 

He’d thought his tone even, if not entirely pleasant, but was unsurprised to see Dr. Simmons sneer at him. 

 

“No, she isn’t.”

 

“Could y’ tell me when she  _ will  _ be home?” 

 

Her father snorted at that, causing Fitz’ gut to clench. The smarmy bastard had had it out for him for years, long before he’d ever set foot in his precious school, and despite graduating the week prior that trend wasn’t going to stop. 

 

“I most certainly will  _ not  _ tell you when Jemma will be home. Remove yourself from my property and do not come back.  _ Ever _ .”

 

He moved to slam the door, but before he could, Fitz darted forward to wedge his foot between the door and its frame. That startled Dr. Simmons, and Fitz felt a grim satisfaction at watching the surprise and then panic cross the older man’s face. 

 

“Why not?”

 

The question hung between them, carrying the weight of every year Fitz had endured without Jemma. The loneliness that had crept in around him until Hunter had finally come to town and introduced him to Mack and Bobbi in turn. The frustration with not being understood, even by those he loved best. The relief when it had become clear that Jemma had missed him, too, and most importantly the thrill of being able to kiss and hold her, even if those moments were few and far between and stolen whenever they could manage it. 

 

“Because,” he began, and Fitz thought that might be the only reason the Simmons patriarch would give him before he continued, “my daughter deserves better than some low-life who’s out at all hours doing Lord knows what. She deserves someone who won’t drag her down by riding her coattails. And that’s all you’ll ever end up doing, Mr. Fitz. Dragging my daughter down and away from all her potential.”

 

That was enough of a surprise to cause Fitz to step back, and Elliot quickly took advantage of the moment to shove the door shut. Fitz stood there, dumbstruck, as he listened to the deadbolt click into place. The numbness quickly faded only to be replaced by outright anger as he stormed back to his car. 

 

He had never thought the day would come that he agreed with Elliot Simmons, but he had. Jemma deserved better, and Fitz was determined to give it to her. 


End file.
